The Best Social Networking Sites for Atheists

Lacking good local venues for talking with like-minded individuals many atheists turn to social networking sites. The relative anonymity of the Internet allows them to locate and safely interact with other atheists and freethinkers via social networking.

I belong to quite a few social networking sites for atheists. I've tried out many but I've become comfortable with a handful and stuck with them.

Atheist Nexus is a marvelous social networking site for atheists. With almost 15,000 members, Atheist Nexus is also the largest social networking site for non-theists. Members get customizable homepage and inbox. Atheist Nexus currently hosts 682 sub-groups on such various topics as atheist parenting, freedom of speech, and atheist pet lovers. Each subgroup has discussion capability as does the site at large. Atheist Nexus has video blogs, chat rooms, and active discussion forums. The only downside I can think of is that the site is so large and compartmentalized that it's easy to miss interesting discussions.

Think Atheist is another multifaceted social networking site for non-theists, freethinkers and atheists. They have about 250 subgroups for atheists with common interests. They also host video blogs, chat rooms and active discussion forums. Their general discussion forum is quite accessible and hosts an ever-changing variety of posts. Think Atheist's tag line is "It's OK to be atheist." The main page offers useful tips on how to use Think Atheist to find local atheists. I've discovered people in my own neighborhood that I can openly discuss atheist issues with through Think Atheist.

Happy Atheist Forum is one of my favorite atheist positive sites. It is a bulletin board and forum for the discussion of atheist relevant topics. Membership is open. I enjoy Happy Atheist Forum for its relaxed and informal atmosphere. I also like that the moderation is swift and fair. Trolls and hecklers are dealt with promptly and proselytizing is not allowed. It keeps the forum a welcoming place for atheists rather than a hunting ground for those looking to convert people to religion. Its only downside is that it goes through very slow spells on occasion.

The Atheist Toolbox forum is another atheist discussion forum. The Atheist Toolbox is a small yet friendly online atheist community. While it often goes through dry spells of activity, its members often provide stimulating atheist relevant discussions and insights.

Atheist Spot is like a Digg or Reddit for atheists. Users can post links to articles, webpages, and blogs which get voted up and down by other users. The site doesn't look slick but it's great at filtering out stories of interest for atheists. Atheist Spot is not as social as other social networking sites so it falls a bit more on the side of social bookmarking though networking is possible via the messaging system. The downside is that it has slowed down a lot lately and had a lot of spam submissions.

Sources:

Personal experience with all of the mentioned sites.

http://www.atheistnexus.org/

http://www.thinkatheist.com/

http://www.happyatheistforum.com

http://www.atheistspot.com/

http://www.atheisttoolbox.com/forum/